I have almost finished my first game (http://games.martineriksen.net/) and am thinking about my next game-development project. Here is an idea for a game I have thought about for a while. I am happy about any feedback and if you like the idea enough to be interested in helping implement it I would love to hear from you! If you are too young to have played it: North and South is a game that was a big hit on Commodore Amiga. Review here: http://www.lemonamiga.com/?mainurl=http://www.lemonamiga.com/reviews/view.php%3Fid%3D249 - and you can also read about it on wikipedia... In short: two sides that have each their army consisting of different troops - gunners (can shoot short), canons (can shoot far), cavalry (has sabres, rides fast). Playing field is one screen; no scrolling or anything. Object on the field can be destroyed by the canon - so you can for example shoot the bridge and the enemy can't cross... Warhammer Fantasy Battle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warhammer_Fantasy_Battle): tabletop game where you control groups of different troops that move around in groups and also have different abilities: different speeds, different weapons range (artilery, bowmen, sword men,...). Alrighty, you are still reading so you are probably have some idea of what I am talking about. If you haven't played any of above games it might be a little hard to get the idea... The Game (name still pending): We are talking a small, casual game. One battle in North and South takes maybe 5 minutes tops. Like North and South the whole playing field is visible. However, I would populate the field with 3D objects (houses, bridges) and the troops should be 3D objects so the troop formations can rotate - like in Warhammer. Also the world should be middle age/ fantasy: archers, catapults, swordmen for starters.I would add artilery elements to the game: When firing a cannon/ catapult you set an angle so the bullet flies in an angle. So it can fly over houses for example and length of shot is also determined by the angle (45 degrees being the longest shot, elementary physics...). Same applies to arrows. Controls: Players move simultaneusly. For PC they get each there side of the keyboard to issue commands to their troops. Alot of things would happen at the same time - you can order one troop formation to move forward, then - while they keep moving - switch to catapults and fire a few rocks, start other troop formations, command the first ones to stop etc. That is the core of the game. Several enhancements are possible: - Like in North and South let a complete game be a series of battles over pieces of land on a map. - Many different troops are possible: wizards, dragons, trolls, undead,...,.... tons are possible and again I imagine inspiration from the Warhammer Fantasy Battle universe. - Fire: Possibility to light things on fire, burning arrows, patches of oil laid out on the field that can be ignited when the enemy unknowingly wanders across it,... - Independent characters that hang out on the field like farmers, pigs, trolls,... - Morale: If a group takes a lot of hits there is a chance that the surviving soldiers flee the battle Thanks for reading - can't wait to hear what you think:-)! Cheers, Martin

I hardly see how you can turn a highly strategic wargame into a casual game.

I only vaguely remember playing North and South, but your game concept sounds like a lot of fun - definitely try it out, although I think two people on a keyboard is pretty rare these days. Basically I think consoles dominate the face-to-face multiplayer scene, whereas PC multiplayer tends to be networked. That's just my perspective though.

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Original post by loufoque I hardly see how you can turn a highly strategic wargame into a casual game.

A bit like this (IGF game of the year 2004).

Yes, I've played this game and really liked it ;-)

Your game sounds a lot like one of my all-time-classic games:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warhammer:_Shadow_of_the_Horned_Rat and its sequel http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warhammer:_Dark_Omen.

Containing artellery, caverlery, foot units, troop formations , magic etc. It was really fun, played it alot with a friend of me (MP option). A fantasy clone would be something to look forward :)

--
Ashaman

Wauw, yes, Dark Omen seems alot like this idea! I guess compared to that I was thinking to keep it all on one screen for faster, more dynamic gameplay. Good to see that someone has already implemented a similar idea; then I don't have to hurry up so much implementing this one :-)

Agreed, consoles like XBox would be a better market for 2 players on one screen games. I have no experience with developing for xbox though; I planned to code in Java which I know and would give results fast.

But what presentation are you thinking of?
Fixed perspective tile-based 2D like North & South or Warcraft II?
Freeform 2 1/2D like tabletop Warhammer?
Mobile camera and 3D like Warcraft III?

North & South relies on estimating distances (and movement times) in real time to predict the outcome of shooting and charging on a discrete 2D grid, while Warhammer relies on estimating distances and obstacles in a plane to get positional advantages turn by turn. In general 3D environments, both kinds of estimation become much more difficult; setting each cannon's angle seems quite awkward to me.
Only less direct control ("shoot/move there" orders to a set of selected units that will execute them in different ways, like in a typical RTS) or more direct control (moving only one unit and shooting with a crosshair or with quick feedback from missed shots, like in a FPS) are common in 3D games.

Freeform 2.5D.

Like in North and South the idea is to predict where the canon ball hits for a given angle. For troops the idea is to move them to gain positional advantage. Like navigating your mellee troops near the enemy's archers. So a mellee troop formation could take the order "move forward", "start turning left or right", "stand still" and "charge". So you can order one troop formation to start moving, give orders to other troops and revert and order them to stop when they are where you want them. Like the horses in North and South that keeps moving while you do stuff with other troops.

Agreed there could be some issues that don't work so well with the artillery in a 3D setting.

- the camera never moves though - like North and South. No tiles, continous playing field. Why do you call North and South tiled...?

I love that kind of games :) I have actually been thinking about creating something similar, but don't have the time.

Good luck with the game! :)

Thanks Haladria, Yes I think there isn't that many fun, casual two-player games like this out there. I will admit there is a good chance I don't get around to implementing it either... Especially if I don't find someone to help me. But we'll see!

-- Quote: "I hardly see how you can turn a highly strategic wargame into a casual game."

Admitted the gameplay would be totally different from Warhammer although the setting and rules are very similar. A game of Warhammer usually takes hours whereas a battle in this game would take minutes. So what is it that takes so much time in Warhammer? Well, there is alot of thinking and plotting going on (at least for me :-)) and then time goes by measuring, moving and rolling dies to determine battle. As this game would be real time you don't gain much by thinking and strategising - the enemy will run you over in no time. Measuring, moving and rolling dies is all handled by the computer so takes no time.

So yes, the gameplay experience would be totally different, but I think it is quite realistic to take the game and rules from warhammer and turn it into a quick, casual game.